MS Thesis Defense - Benjamin A. Minor
Mechanical Engineering
A Masters of Science Thesis Defense:
Empirical Modeling of Magnetic Microrobots in Uniform Magnetic Fields
By: Benjamin A. Minor
Date: April 29th, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM-12:00PM MST
Location: MEK 3660
Committee Members:
Dr. Jake J. Abbott
Dr. Henry C. Fu
Dr. Kam K. Leang
Project Summary
Magnetic microrobots have a variety of potential uses in biomedical applications. This thesis uses empirical modeling to reconsider two of the simplest and longest-studied types of magnetic microrobots: the elastic-tail swimmer and the magnetic screw. Both are propelled and steered using uniform magnetic fields, which in this thesis are generated by tri-axial Helmholtz coils, and both are localized using machine vision. The first study explores the elastic-tail microrobot, which comprises a permanent magnet attached to an elastic filament that serves as a tail. When exposed to an oscillating magnetic field, the microrobot swims forward, with the mean magnetic field serving as the forward direction. We conducted the first…
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
PhD Dissertation Defense - Roger Beal
Mechanical Engineering
A Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation Defense Entitled:
Impact of Post-Build Microstructure Tailoring on the Quasi-Static, Dynamic, and Fatigue Behavior of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Ti-6Al-4V
By: Roger Beal
Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Time: 10:00-12:00pm
Location: MEK 2660& Zoom
Committee Members:
Dr. Owen Kingstedt (Chair)
Dr. Ravi Chandran
Dr. Ashley Spear
Dr. Wenda Tan
Dr. Edwin Schwalbach
Project Summary
The focus of this work is to investigate the use of microstructure tailoring to improve the mechanical performance of additively manufactured, laser powder bed fusion Ti-6Al-4V to support the adoption of additively manufactured components to reduce sustainment repair backlogs of legacy aircraft. Aircraft experience a complex operating environment consisting of quasi-static, fatigue, and dynamic loading. The scientific goal of the presented work is to test the hypothesis that the fatigue crack growth can be suppressed, thereby increasing component fatigue life through microstructure tailoring solely…
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
PhD Dissertation Defense - Nathan P. Ortiz
Mechanical Engineering
A Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation Defense Entitled:
Materials and System Enhancements for the improvement of Sorbent-based Atmospheric Water Harvesting
By: Nathan P. Ortiz
Date: 4/30/2025
Time: 11:00 – 12:00 pm
3350 MEK and Zoom
Committee Members:
Dr. Sameer Rao (Chair)
Dr. Tim Ameel
Dr. Michael Nigra
Dr. Keunhan Park
Dr. Samira Shiri
Project Summary
Water scarcity is a worsening epidemic with billions of people around the world suffering from little to no safe access to drinking water. Various methods of atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) have garnered momentum to combat worsening water access ranging from rain capture to advanced sorption materials. The range of applicable technologies is a function of the atmospheric availability of water with arid regions requiring direct capture methods such as sorption based AWH (SAWH). This dissertation accomplished three aims advancing the performance and practicality of SAWH device: 1) Improving heat and mass transfer in adsorbing systems by designing sorbe…
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
Ph.D. Dissertation Defense: Mitchell R. Lewis
Biomedical Engineering
Please join us for the following Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Presentation: Ph.D. Dissertation Defense
In Vitro Generation of Engineered Platelets for Transgenic Protein Delivery Applications
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 2:00 PM
SMBB 3250 (BME Large Conference Rm)
Zoom Meeting ID: 953 8568 5704 ~ Passcode: 539166
Presenter: Mitchell R. Lewis
Advisor: Dr. Tara Deans
Regenerative medicine and cell engineering are rapidly growing fields with the potential for tremendous impact in reducing disease burden and healthcare costs. Research efforts in synthetic biology and genetic engineering are developing powerful tools to endow cells with therapeutic capabilities both in repairing diseased or damaged tissue and for drug delivery. However, the manufacturing of rare or non-dividing cell types remains a challenge in several applications. Pluripotent stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into any cell type in the body, providing the starting materials to generate these cell types, but require the…
Campus Locations: Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building - James LeVoy (SMBB). Alternate Location: Zoom Meeting ID: 953 8568 5704 ~ Passcode: 539166. Contact Name: Kylie Brown. Contact Email: kylie.brown@utah.edu. Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
For more info visit www.bme.utah.edu. MS Thesis Defense - Zane Frey
Mechanical Engineering
A Master of Science Thesis Defense:
Analysis of the effects of mass conservation on engineering wake models for wind farm solvers
By: Zane Frey
Date: Wednesday, 4/30/25
Time: 2:00 pm MDT
Location: MEK 2660
Committee Members:
Dr. Marc Calaf (Chair)
Dr. Eric Pardyjak
Dr. Rob Stoll
Project Summary
Accurate flow modeling of wind farms is crucial for optimizing turbine placement, estimating power output, and assessing wake interactions. Analytical wake models enable fast simulations but lack inherent mass conservation, limiting physical realism. This study investigates the impact of imposing mass conservation on analytical wake models to improve velocity field predictions. Two wake models and two wind farm configurations are simulated in FLORIS. Three-dimensional velocity fields are then sent to the Quick Environmental Simulation (QES) solver to impose mass conservation on the fields. The resulting fields are compared to a suite of large-eddy simulations (LES). Results show that imposing mass conserv…
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
ECE Seminar
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Campus Locations: Warnock Engineering Building - John and Marva (WEB). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM.
Spring 2025 - University Commencement & Convocation Exercises
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, May 1, 2025 – Friday, May 2, 2025.
For more info visit commencement.utah.edu. Summer 2025 - House Bill 60 registration
Academic Deadlines
For more info: https://registrar.utah.edu/handbook/housebill60.php.
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, May 5, 2025.
Summer 2025 House Bill 60 Registration
Ph.D. Dissertation Defense: Bram Hunt
Biomedical Engineering
Please join us for the following Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Presentation: Ph.D. Dissertation Defense
Cracking Atrial Fibrillation with the Endocardial Electrogram
Monday, May 5, 2025 11:00 AM
HELIX Rm 1C110 (Singleleaf Conference Room)
Zoom Meeting ID: 966 9855 0215 ~ Passcode: 843366
Presenter: Bram Hunt
Advisor: Dr. Ravi Ranjan
Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common electrical disease of the heart, presents a significant clinical challenge due to the complex manner in which it remodels electrical and structural cardiac properties. This remodeling often renders standard therapies ineffective, leading our laboratory to investigate critical aspects of AF by applying advanced mapping techniques and artificial intelligence to electrical signals collected near the surface of the heart, otherwise called electrograms (EGMs). First, we captured high-density EGMs from AF over six months to identify the stability of "drivers." Briefly, drivers are sites inside the heart with abnormal electrical…
Campus Locations: Healthcare, Educators, Leaders & Innovators Complex (HELIX). Alternate Location: Zoom Meeting ID: 966 9855 0215 ~ Passcode: 843366. Contact Name: Kylie Brown. Contact Email: kylie.brown@utah.edu. Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, May 5, 2025, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
For more info visit www.bme.utah.edu. Ph.D. Dissertation Defense: Hunter Levis
Biomedical Engineering
Please join us for the following Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Presentation: Ph.D. Dissertation Defense
Enhancing the Regenerative Capabilities of Stem Cell Therapies Utilizing CRISPR-Guided Gene ModulationNE MODULATION
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 12:00 PM
SMBB 2650 (Auditorium)
Zoom Meeting ID: 988 1389 1946 ~ Passcode: 853924
Presenter: Hunter Levis
Advisor: Dr. Robby Bowles
Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is frequently associated with degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the intervertebral disc (IVD). DDD involves the breakdown of IVDs, characterized by the loss of aggrecan and collagen II. Current treatments are limited and mainly address painful symptoms rather than the underlying condition of DDD. Stem cell and tissue engineering therapies are being explored to treat both the symptoms and diseased tissue directly. However, IVD’s avascular and harsh microenvironment limits the effectiveness of these regenerative approaches. CRISPR-guided gene modulation offers a…
Campus Locations: Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building - James LeVoy (SMBB). Alternate Location: Zoom Meeting ID: 988 1389 1946 ~ Passcode: 853924. Contact Name: Kylie Brown. Contact Email: kylie.brown@utah.edu. Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Tuesday, May 6, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
For more info visit www.bme.utah.edu. PhD Proposal Defense - Leonardo Marin
Mechanical Engineering
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
A Doctor of Philosophy Research Proposal Defense:
Microstructural Damage Progression in Repetitive Head Trauma
By: Leonardo Marin
Wednesday, May 7th, 2025
Time: 08:15 AM
Room: MEK 3350
Committee Members:
Dr. Brittany Coats (Chair)
Dr. Kenneth L. Monson
Dr. Jacob Hochhalter
Dr. Michele Marino
Dr. Steven Naleway
Project Summary
Repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant concern in sports and military trauma, with each exposure increasing the risk of brain damage. Most biomechanical studies focus on single impacts, neglecting progressive damage in neural soft tissues. The pia-arachnoid complex (PAC), composed of arachnoid trabeculae, cerebrospinal fluid, and subarachnoid vasculature interposed between the pia and arachnoid membranes, is particularly interesting, given its role in coupling the brain to the skull. It has been shown that PAC microstructural properties significantly contribute to brain deformation in head trauma, b…
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 8:15 AM – 9:15 AM.
WIRED Wednesday Seminar: "Electric Power Systems and Wildfires" by Hamid Nazaripouya
WIRED Global Center
Sign up for this event to receive the Zoom link.
Campus Locations: Zoom. Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM.
ECE Seminar
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Campus Locations: Warnock Engineering Building - John and Marva (WEB). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM.
Ph.D. Research Proposal - Monika Buczak
Biomedical Engineering
Please join us for the following Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Presentation: Ph.D. Research Proposal
Increasing Independence through Myoelectric Control of Assistive Technology
Thursday, May 8, 2025 1:00 PM
HSEB 2948 (Health Sciences Education Bldg.)
Zoom Meeting ID: 958 0252 8800 ~ Passcode: emg
Presenter: Monika Buczak
Advisor: Dr. Jacob A. George
Neurological disorders and injury lead to many complex disabilities with varying levels of neuromuscular function and control. For many patients, the loss of physical autonomy affects physical, psychological, and socioeconomic well-being. To regain some independence and control, adaptive controllers have been developed to manipulate external devices. Several controllers exist, including joystick, voice commands, breath commands, and gaze-tracking. These adaptive controllers are useful but unintuitive and lack the dexterity needed for complex tasks and true independence. This work will introduce and verify an alternative control method based on surface…
Campus Locations: Health Sciences Education Building - Spencer F. and Cleone P. Eccles (HSEB). Alternate Location: Zoom Meeting ID: 958 0252 8800 ~ Passcode: emg. Contact Name: Kylie Brown. Contact Email: kylie.brown@utah.edu. Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, May 8, 2025, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit www.bme.utah.edu. MS Thesis Defense - Thomas D Wright III
Mechanical Engineering
A Master of Science Thesis Defense:
FLUX VARIABILITY IN TURBULENT ATMOSPHERIC BOUNDARY-LAYER FLOWS
By: Thomas D Wright III
Date: Thursday, May 8th, 2025
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: MEK 2660
Committee Members:
Dr. Marc Calaf (Chair)
Dr. Eric Pardyjak
Dr. Rob Stoll
Project Summary:
Accurately capturing surface-layer turbulence is critical for improving weather prediction, climate modeling, and environmental forecasting. Traditional frameworks parameterizing surface fluxes, like Monin–Obukhov Similarity Theory (MOST), assume horizontal homogeneity. However, this assumption often breaks down in real-world settings, even in seemingly ideal environments. This study leverages data from the 2019 Idealized Planar Array for Quantifying Surface heterogeneity (IPAQS) campaign at Utah’s SLTEST site, one of the flattest, most uniform natural surfaces available, to understand the effects of horizontal heterogeneity on flux variability. Using a dense 16-tower array capturing the research reveals substantial spatial variabili…
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, May 8, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
MS Thesis Defense - Thomas D Wright III
Mechanical Engineering
A Master of Science Thesis Defense:
FLUX VARIABILITY IN TURBULENT ATMOSPHERIC BOUNDARY-LAYER FLOWS
By: Thomas D Wright III
Date: April 29th, 2025
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: MEK 2660
Committee Members:
Dr. Marc Calaf
Dr. Eric Pardyjak
Dr. Rob Stoll
Project Summary :
Accurately capturing surface-layer turbulence is critical for improving weather prediction, climate modeling, and environmental forecasting. Traditional frameworks parameterizing surface fluxes, like Monin–Obukhov Similarity Theory (MOST), assume horizontal homogeneity. However, this assumption often breaks down in real-world settings, even in seemingly ideal environments. This study leverages data from the 2019 Idealized Planar Array for Quantifying Surface heterogeneity (IPAQS) campaign at Utah’s SLTEST site, one of the flattest, most uniform natural surfaces available, to understand the effects of horizontal heterogeneity on flux variability. Using a dense 16-tower array capturing the research reveals substantial spatial variability in su…
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, May 8, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Spring 2025 - Grades due
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, May 12, 2025.
For more info visit registrar.utah.edu. Summer 2025 First Half - Classes begin
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, May 12, 2025.
Summer 2025 Full Term - Classes begin
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, May 12, 2025.
Summer 2025 First-Half Classes Begin
Summer 2025 Term-Length Classes Begin
ECE Seminar
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Campus Locations: Warnock Engineering Building - John and Marva (WEB). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM.
Summer 2025 First Half - Last day to add, drop (delete), elect CR/NC, or audit classes
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, May 15, 2025.
Summer 2025 First Half - Last day to wait list
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, May 15, 2025.
Summer 2025 First-Half Last Day to Add, Drop, Audit, and Elect CR/NC
Spring 2025 - School of Medicine Graduation Exercises
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, May 16, 2025.
For more info visit registrar.utah.edu. Summer 2025 Full Term - Last day to add without a permission code
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, May 16, 2025.
Summer 2025 Full Term - Last day to wait list
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, May 16, 2025.
Summer 2025 Term-Length Last Day to Wait List
Executive Committee Meeting
Executive Committee Meeting
For Dept. Chairs Only.
Campus Locations: Warnock Engineering Building - John and Marva (WEB). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, May 16, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Summer 2025 - Deadline to apply for graduation
Academic Deadlines
For more info: https://registrar.utah.edu/graduation/index.php.
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
Summer 2025 - Tuition payment due
Academic Deadlines
For more info: https://bursar.utah.edu/payment-options/.
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
Summer 2025 Full Term - Last day to add, drop (delete), elect CR/NC, or audit classes
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
Summer 2025 Deadline to Apply for Graduation
Summer 2025 Term-Length Last Day to Add, Drop, Audit, and Elect CR/NC
Summer 2025 Tuition Payment Due
ECE Seminar
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Campus Locations: Warnock Engineering Building - John and Marva (WEB). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM.
Holiday: Memorial Day
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, May 26, 2025.
Faculty Meeting- Eccles
Electrical & Computer Engineering
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
Summer 2025 First Half - Last day to withdraw from classes
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, May 30, 2025.
Spring 2025 Last Day to Withdraw From Classes
BME Faculty Meeting
Biomedical Engineering
Campus Locations: Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building - James LeVoy (SMBB). Contact Name: Taylor Wilkes. Contact Email: taylor.wilkes@utah.edu. Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, May 30, 2025, 3:15 PM – 5:15 PM.
Summer 2025 - Census deadline
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, June 2, 2025.
Summer 2025 Census Deadline
AI Hackathon
This 48-hour hackathon invites Utahns to create AI-powered solutions for air quality prediction & improvement across the Wasatch Front. With a focus on leveraging data science, machine learning, & AI, participants will create tools & models to help communities & policymakers make informed decisions to improve air quality & public
health. This is a hybrid event—join us online or in person. Prizes will be awarded!
The hackathon is facilitated by the One-U Responsible Artificial Intelligence Initiative, part of the University of Utah Scientific Computing & Imaging Institute.
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, June 4, 2025, 12:00 PM – Thursday, June 5, 2025, 1:00 PM.
For more info visit rai.utah.edu. Summer 2025 First Half - Last day to reverse CR/NC option
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, June 13, 2025.
Summer 2025 First-Half Last Day to Reverse CR/NC Option
Holiday: Juneteenth (observed)
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, June 16, 2025.
Juneteenth Holiday (Observed)
Summer 2025 First-Half Classes End
Wednesday, June 18, 2025.
Summer 2025 First Half - Classes end
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, June 19, 2025.
Summer 2025 Full Term - Last day to withdraw from classes
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, June 20, 2025.
Summer 2025 Second Half - Classes begin
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, June 20, 2025.
Summer 2025 Second-Half Classes Begin
Summer 2025 Term-Length Last Day to Withdraw From Classes
Executive Committee Meeting
Executive Committee Meeting
For Dept. Chairs Only.
Campus Locations: Warnock Engineering Building - John and Marva (WEB). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, June 20, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Summer 2025 Second Half - Last day to add, drop (delete), elect CR/NC, or audit classes
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
Summer 2025 Second Half - Last day to wait list
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
Summer 2025 Second-Half Last Day to Add, Drop, Audit, and Elect CR/NC
Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
Summer 2025 Second-Half Last Day to Wait List
Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
BME Faculty Meeting
Biomedical Engineering
Campus Locations: Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building - James LeVoy (SMBB). Contact Name: Taylor Wilkes. Contact Email: taylor.wilkes@utah.edu. Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, June 27, 2025, 3:15 PM – 5:15 PM.
Holiday: Independence Day
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, July 4, 2025.
Independence Day Holiday
Independence Day Holiday.
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, July 4, 2025.
Summer 2025 Second Half - Last day to withdraw from classes
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, July 11, 2025.
Summer 2025 Second-Half Last Day to Withdraw From Classes
Executive Committee Meeting
Executive Committee Meeting
For Dept. Chairs Only.
Campus Locations: Warnock Engineering Building - John and Marva (WEB). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, July 18, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
Holiday: Pioneer Day
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, July 24, 2025.
Pioneer Day Holiday
Pioneer Day Holiday.
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, July 24, 2025.
Summer 2025 Full Term - Last day to reverse CR/NC option
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, July 25, 2025.
Summer 2025 Second Half - Last day to reverse CR/NC option
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Friday, July 25, 2025.
Summer 2025 Second-Half Last Day to Reverse CR/NC Option
Summer 2025 Term-Length Last Day to Reverse CR/NC Option
Fall 2025 - Open enrollment
Academic Deadlines
Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, July 28, 2025.